Electric flying taxi testing for takeoff in Bay Area would speed up commute

Flying taxi being developed in Bay Area would change future of aviation

Archer Aviation is testing its electric aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but flies like a plane.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - An all-new type of electric aircraft could soon be flying over the Bay Area.

The designers tell KTVU it can cut down an hour-long commute on the road to just ten minutes in the air.

KTVU got rare access inside Archer Aviation’s production facility in San Jose to see how the air taxi is getting ready for takeoff.

The Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft looks like something out of science fiction, but Archer Aviation’s Midnight, which has been in development for more than 10 years, could soon transform travel.

"It’s getting really close to the point where people are going to be able to come fly on this and make it part of their everyday lives."

Chief Technology Officer Tom Muniz is one of the company’s 900 employees who are mostly in the Bay Area.

"Let’s say you want to fly from the East Bay to SFO," said Muniz. "Maybe that’s a ten-mile trip, you know. Tickets would be less than 100 bucks."

This is the first new category of civilian aircraft since the introduction of helicopters in the 1940s.

The Federal Aviation Administration gave approval for the new category, known as "powered lift," in late October.

The air taxi takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter but flies horizontally like a plane with speeds of up to 150 miles per hour.

"Total energy onboard is about twice what you would find in a Tesla Model Y," said Muniz.

It’s powered by six batteries which can charge between flights in about ten minutes.

There are twelve propellers, which Muniz said makes it safer if one fails and much quieter than a helicopter.

"It’s basically to the point where you can’t hear the aircraft when it’s flying over," said Muniz.

There is room onboard for four passengers and their carry-on bags.

Future pilots are learning how to fly Midnight in a life-size simulator at the San Jose facility.

The company plans to build five landing sites around the Bay Area, with one over the water in South San Francisco’s Oyster Point, along with Oakland, San Jose, Livermore and Napa.

So, how do you catch a flight?

"In the future, it's super likely you could see our aircraft on rideshare platforms, but I think in the early days it will be more like services through somebody like United [Airlines]."

United Airlines has already ordered 200 Midnight air taxis for its own fleet.

U.S. Air Force is also testing out the aircraft, according to Muniz.

For now, test flights are happening at Archer Aviation’s facility in Salinas, near Monterey.

A spokesperson for Archer Aviation said while it takes over an hour to drive from San Jose to South San Francisco, Midnight could make the trip in ten minutes.

Muniz said the aircraft is expected to fly outside the U.S. by the end of 2025, with Bay Area flights happening sometime after that.

The exact date would depend on FAA approval and has not been specified.

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